Beneath The Landslide
by beneaththelandslide
Summary: Set directly after the last scene in 2x07. While Rae and Finn did get their "happy ending," there are still challenges to be faces within their relationship and within themselves.
1. Chapter 1

**Beneath the Landslide**

**Chapter One: Wonderwall**

The silence roared in Rae's ears as she placed her hands over Finn's. There was no cushioning to this moment. No music, no alcohol, no cheeky banter. Just two minds, two bodies. Just Rae and Finn. They were more alone and more together than they had ever been; it was raw, and real, and beautiful, and fucking terrifying.

Rae knew that she was changing, that she was learning to accept and love herself. She was a different person from the terrified, delicate girl that had pulled the fire alarm at college just a few months ago. As Finn had reminded her in the hospital, she was strong. And she truly felt that way.

But when she was about to show another human being—and on top of that, Finn "Epic Slice" Nelson—her naked body, that new-found strength alluded her. Softly, she lowered his hands, pushing them away from the belt of her robe. She knew that she wanted this: to be with him, to erase the feeling of Liam from her body, to know all of Finn. And she could have it, finally. But she wanted to be the one to take it. As frightening as it was, Rae wanted to prove to Finn that she could be comfortable with herself. That she could be the girl he thought she was.

Before she could hesitate, Rae unknotted the belt, allowing the loose ends to fall at her side. Finn flashed her that reassuring smile that she had grown to love, and she nervously grinned back. This was either Heaven or Hell- she couldn't decide. Gently, he tucked her hair behind her left ear, and even that small touch ignited sparks beneath her skin. She knew that removing the entire robe would be too overwhelming, and so he met her half way. Without pause, he slid the terry cloth fabric over her shoulders, sending it to the floor. The robe landed with a resounding thud.

So there she was. Naked in every imaginable way, at her most vulnerable. Just Rae. Only Rae. And it was in that moment, when she looked into Finn's adoring eyes, that she found her strength again.

\- the next night -

"She looks like you."

"Fuck off."

"Wha? She does!"

Rae nudged Finn in the shin, but she couldn't keep herself from smiling. He looked too delicious and adorable holdinga baby in his arms.

"And how exactly does she look like me? Do I look like a baby or something?"

Finn snickered. "No, no, 'course not. I can't explain it. Maybe it's her eyes."

"Or maybe you're just full of shit?"

They both laughed as Finn gently set Buschtatin her cot. As she was finally asleep, and Karim and Rae's mum were out, a rare hush fell over the house. Finn reclaimed his spot next to Rae at the end of her mum's bed, placing one arm behind her back.

"She is pretty brilliant, though, isn't she?" Rae mused as she observed the tiny human. She could never have envisioned herself being an older sister, let alone one who cared so deeply. It almost scared her how much she cared. Finn smiled warmly and nuzzled his nose into Rae's shoulder.

"Crap name, though," she added. Finn leaned into Rae as he chuckled.

"It's… unique."

"Unique, yeah," she said between laughs. "Fuck, Mum and Karim aren't even giving her a chance."

"S'alright. Anyone who tries to take the piss out of her will have me to answer to."

Rae turned towards Finn, no longer feeling humorous. She remembered how he had protected her over the summer when Big G and his mates were harassing her. That was the moment when everything started to change; she couldn't believe where they were now.

"What?"

"Nothing, what?" Rae shyly replied.

"What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking… that right now might be a good time for a repeat of last night."

Last night. Sweet Jesus, last night.

Rae still couldn't comprehend how something that was so uncomfortable and impersonal with Liam could be so superb with Finn. Obviously, she'd known all along that Finn was a sex god, sent from another realm to cherish and corrupt her, but she never dreamed that it would be that first-rate. In the back of her mind, she knew that he had acquired those sweet, sweet skills somewhere, but she was nowhere near prepared to confront those thoughts just yet.

Rae leaned her forehead against Finn's, taking in his delicious scent. There was no describing what it felt like being this close to him, having his skin touch hers. Having sex with him had undoubtedly alleviated some of the insecurities she'd had about their relationship. She knew that he truly wanted to be with her. But the struggle to accept that she deserved somebody as exceptional as Finn was still far from over. For now, though, he was just intoxicating enough to make her forget.

As their lips met, Finn cupped the side of her face with his hands, breathing Rae in and pulling her closer. She gladly leaned into him, taking his bottom lip between hers. Oh God, how could she already be horned up? This was bloody embarrassing. Her libido took over as she reached for the bottom of his t-shirt and willed it to unleash his flawless abdomen from its cruel cage.

For the first time since they'd met, Finn halted the physical contact.

"Rae," he whispered, sneaking another kiss before he spoke again. "I really want to. I mean, _really._"

"Then what's the problem?"

"Well, first of all, Buschtat'sright there… Doesn't really feel right, does it? But also, we never got to talk last night."

"I thought you said what we did was much better than talking."

"It was!" he quickly replied, smiling. "Trust me, it was. Not that I don't love talking to ya, but last night was pretty fooking brilliant."

Rae couldn't help herself from blushing as she remembered exactly what made it so brilliant.

"But… I have some questions. And I'm sure you have some questions, too. About these past couple o'months. About us."

"I don't have any questions, Finn. I trust you; I know who you are. I just… had some stuff I needed to sort out. And I did. I sorted it, and I'm okay now."

Before Finn could speak, Rae kissed him again, this time with more fervor. She put her hand on his shoulder and gripped his gray shirt, appreciatively humming into his mouth. She could feel him forgetting his worries, just as she had forgotten hers. But soon enough, he pulled away again.

"Don't distract me," he chided.

"But I like distracting ya," Rae said, her hands making a beeline for his jeans. She had no idea where this coy seductress had come from, but she wasn't about to will her away.

"Oh n-no, you don't." Finn stumbled over his words as he leapt off the bed, away from Rae's reach. His tone was still light, but she could see the serious intention behind his eyes. "C'mon, Rae, I'm serious. I don't want to do this unless it's right."

"What's wrong about it?"

"Nothing's wrong exactly… I just… I'm nervous, alright? Last time, everything seemed fine, and then you randomly chucked me. And I know that you were going through something, I get that. But that didn't make it any easier."

Well, that certainly changed the mood. Rae gathered herself and sat up on the bed. She looked to Finn and could see remnants of hurt and confusion in his eyes. It stung her to her core.

"Look, Finn, I'm so sorry. I hate myself for hurting you. I wish I could take it back somehow, or at least make it up to you. And I promise, I _promise,_ I won't do anything like that again."

Finn sighed as he sat back down on the bed. "You don't have to make it up to me; I don't care about that. I just want to understand why you did it? Did I do something wrong?"

Here it was. The exact conversation Rae was so desperate to avoid. The truth was, she just wasn't ready to have it. Yes, she was firmly on the road to self-acceptance, but that didn't mean she was prepared for self-analysis. She meant it when she said that she hated herself for what she did to Finn, and thinking back to that night… To those emotions…. She couldn't handle that right now.

"You didn't do anything wrong. Please believe that. And everything else… it's just difficult to explain."

"Try?" he said softly.

"I can't. I just… I can't. Not yet. I'm sorry."

Finn's face dropped. A few prolonged seconds passed between them as Rae began to feel the world closing in again. _One day_. She just wanted one bloody day of uninterrupted happiness. And the worst part of all was she was the only one who could give that to herself.

"Look, now that we finally got Buschtat to sleep, maybe we should call it a night, yeah? I'm pretty tired, anyways."

"Yeah," he said with a shrug, frowning at his hands. "Yeah, me too."

Grabbing his jean jacket from the bed, he shoved his arms into it and made his way towards the bedroom door. Rae followed, already missing him and resenting herself.

"I'm sorry, Finn."

"Nah, it's fine. You don't have to apologize," he replied nonchalantly. Rae recognized this colder, distant Finn.

"No, I do have to apologize. I'm sorry. I'm sorry that things are never easy with me."

At that remark, Finn smiled. A genuine smile. Seeing that immediately relieved some of the pressure from Rae's heart.

"True," he remarked, still grinning. "Easy is boring, though."

Rae smiled, despite herself. After planting a tender kiss on her lips, Finn descended the stairs and yelled up, "I'll see you tomorrow, then? At Archie's?"

Rae had completely forgotten about Archie's party. Where they would have to tell the gang—and more importantly, Chloe—that they were back together. She quickly nodded before he reached the door.

As soon as he left, Buschtat began to cry. Maybe she was just wet, or maybe it was sisterly instinct that told her that Rae was in for a hell of a ride.


	2. Chapter 2

**Beneath The Landslide**

**Chapter Two**

"My lip still bloody hurts!"

Rae's body shook with laughter as she lied back on her bed. Coiling the phone cord around her finger, she managed to retort, "Oh, piss off. It wasn't _that _bad… Jesus, though, I still can't believe I punched you."

"Pfft. Tell that to my wounded ego."

Rae knew that Finn was grinning just as widely and cheekily as she was. Last night had ended on an uncertain note, but when Finn had rang her twenty minutes ago to ask about a CD, they began talking as if nothing had happened. This conversation was reminiscent of the chats they used to have, before romance and insecurities complicated everything. Rae felt as if she truly had her friend back, and that mattered to her more than anything. The newfound orgasms were just an added- and much appreciated- perk.

"Well, please inform your ego- and your lip- that I am deeply sorry for any pain that I may have caused either of them. However, I was only following my _instructor's_ advice, and it was my first time practicing the art of self-defense… Plus, I was provoked."

There was a slight pause before Finn asked: "Provoked or jealous?"

"Provoked," Rae replied instinctually; she was far too proud to admit to jealousy. Although there certainly was jealousy- heaps of it. Okay, to be fair, she had never been quite so jealous in her entire life. For good measure, she quietly added, "… Maybe a bit jealous."

Finn didn't respond immediately to Rae's muttered confession. She wracked her brain for a natural way to redirect the conversation. She wanted to keep the tone light, but lately it was so easy for things to go from playful to seriously intense within moments when it came to Finn.

"I was jealous, too," he finally confessed. "Right, I was really bloody jealous."

It was petty, but Rae couldn't stop the rush of warmth that flooded her veins and scurried up the back of her neck. The weeks following her breakup with Finn had been dark and difficult- for more reasons than one- but hearing that he had been pining for her the way she had been for him was immensely reassuring.

"Don't let that go to your head, though."

"Wha'?" Rae asked innocently.

"I can practically hear your ego swelling right up."

"Well at least one of our ego's is in good health," Rae quipped as she grinned to herself.

Finn chuckled appreciatively. "Right then, Earl, when should I come by?"

"Come by?"

"To pick you up. I thought I'd give ya a lift to Archie's tonight."

"Oh!" _Oh. _Archie's party was tonight, but Rae had been hoping that she and Finn would show up separately. Chloe had seemed completely supportive of the idea of them getting back together, but seeing them walk into the party hand-in-hand wouldn't be an easy sight to swallow. She had bloody admitted to being in love with him, for God's sake. Plus, as easy as it was to blame wanting to keep their newly repaired relationship quiet on Chloe, Rae knew there was a part of her that was terrified of stirring up old emotions that she had worked so hard to eliminate. She knew that she was strong, but was she completely ready to face the world with Finn on her arm?

"Oh, that's alright! My mum actually has to drive right by Archie's to pick Karim up from work," she lied.

"You're sure? It's really no problem."

"Positive. Thanks, though. I'll see ya at Archie's then?"

"See you then, Earl."

* * *

"Mum...? Mum!"

Rae rushed through the hall as she haphazardly tried to dab some mascara onto her lashes. She had meant to leave for Archie's an hour ago, but had shamefully fallen into the clichéd female pit of not being able to choose what to wear.

Ultimately, she had decided on a maroon sweater, leggings, and Converse sneakers. To be honest, these items weren't the part of her outfit that troubled her. She had to try on every bra and underwear combination she owned before finally settling on the set that she had bought with Izzy and Chloe before the camping trip. If their taste didn't satisfy Finn, she was doomed.

Was she being too presumptuous about this, though? Finn had stopped things from escalating the night before; would the same thing happen tonight? She had hated their conversation; more than that, she hated keeping things from him. However, as far as she'd come, Rae still wasn't ready to reveal all of the fucked up inner-workings of her mind to Finn.

"Mummm? Mu-"

"SHHH!" Rae's mum popped out of her, Buschtat's and Karim's bedroom, her arms flailing dramatically in front of her.

"What in the BLOODY HELL are you yelling about?" she scream-whispered at her daughter, a look of pure outrage on her face. "Do you know how long I have been in there with that child, trying to get her to fall asleep? Do you know how many bloody lullabies and Lesley Gore tracks I've sang? And now she's FINALLY sleeping, and you just waltz around, yellin' my name for the queen to hear. What is it then? What d'ya want?"

"… I was wondering if I could have a lift," Rae whispered as she bit her lip. "To Archie's."

Rae's mum slowly dropped her arms to her side as she eyed Rae carefully. "A lift? I thought there was a bloody fire."

"I'm so sorry, Mum. I didn't want to wake Buschtat, really. It's just I'm late, and I really need a lift."

"You want a lift," she repeated quietly, shaking with frustration. Rae had a troubling flashback to her mother's state during her juice cleanse. "Shall I just leave Buschtat here then? Leave her to fend for herself? Why don't I have her whip up some dinner while she's at it?"

"Of course not! No, we could bring her in the car."

"Oh, bring her in the car! What a silly cow I am, why didn't I think of that? Yes, Rae, let's just undo the last hour I spent trying to get her to fall asleep. We MUST adjust to your very demanding schedule! Fantastic, fantastic idea."

Now Rae was getting irritated. She realized that she should have been more appreciative of Buschtat's sleep time, but she was new to the whole sibling thing- plus, she really was late to Archie's!

"Okay… Like I said, I'm sorry. I s'pose that's a no, then?"

Her mum smiled mechanically. "That's a no. Jesus, Rae, you truly are a riddle to me at times… Tell ya what. How many legs do you have?"

"… Two."

"Brilliant. And are both of them fully functioning?"

Rae was now glowering. She could see where this was going. Her mum's smile grew.

"Yes…"

"Bloody brilliant! Have a nice walk then."

With a monumental eye roll, Rae turned on her heels and stomped down the hall. She had some choice words for her mother, but she had somehow retained a shred of her humanity through that conversation and didn't want to wake her baby sister.

"Oh, and give Finn-love a peck on the cheek for meh!" her mum cheerily yelled down the hall. As soon as the words were uttered, she gasped and clamped her hand over her mouth. Right on cue, Buschtat let out an earth-shattering cry. Before she could get sucked into lullaby duty, Rae made a run for it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Beneath The Landslide**

**Chapter Three**

Rae huffed and puffed as she made her way to Archie's. Thank Liam (Gallagher, of course, not her former lover- if you could call him that) she was wearing a thick sweater. In a t-shirt, her pit stains would be unmistakable. Not that being weighed down by all of this itchy fabric was much better.

The only silver lining to having to walk to Archie's was having some extra time to sort through her thoughts before seeing the gang- specifically, Finn and Chloe. Oh god, would Finn try to kiss her as soon as she walked in? Why didn't she talk to him about this on the phone this afternoon? Of course, she couldn't _actually_ talk to him about it since telling him about Chloe's unrequited for him would make her the most atrocious best friend in the world.

Rae was honestly shocked at her own indifference to finding out that Chloe had fallen for Finn. Mr. Nelson was plainly irresistible, and she wouldn't be surprised if half of their college, regardless of gender, had developed the same infatuation. That would be a fun thought to revisit come Monday.

As she turned onto Archie's street, Rae shook her head in an attempt to clear her thoughts. She was tired of overthinking everything. She was the new Rae now- confident, honest, and unapologetic. Kester wouldn't tolerate this kind of worrying, so why should she? She was who she was, and that was just how the world would have to take her. With newfound courage, she made a beeline for Archie's house, where she could see a few familiar faces loitering in the front lawn.

Rae flashed a friendly smile as she passed a girl from Maths. The girl, Alice, smiled back and waved. So far so good. Within seconds of arriving, Rae had already managed to engage in a positive social interaction; this was progress! She watched as Alice's hand dropped, and her smile morphed into a concerned grimace. In the midst of turning her head forward, Rae's cheek collided with a large, solid mass. She ricocheted off of the wool surface and stumbled backwards.

As she rubbed her cheek, Rae looked into the eyes of her barrier.

"Liam."

Liam smiled naughtily at Rae as he took a swig of his beer. "Hiya there, Rae."

"Jesus, don't you look where you're going?"

"Funny coming from the girl who literally wasn't looking where she was going."

"Right. Whatever," she replied casually as she looked to the ground. Rae had no idea why she was being so cold to Liam. Everything had been sorted with him. He wanted to stay fucked up, and she didn't; she had been clear about that, and now their 'relationship'- again, if you could call it that- was finished. Then why couldn't she act like a functioning human being around him?

"Sorry," she corrected herself with a clumsy chuckle. "It's all good, mate. Just gonna head inside then. See you around?"

As Rae stepped to walk past Liam, she felt his hand grasp her elbow. "Just a second."

Without thinking, Rae jerked her arm away and pushed Liam backwards, nearly causing him to lose his balance. Alice and her group of friends stopped mid-conversation and looked over. Rae gasped and clutched her cheeks. "Oh my god, Liam. I'm so sorry… Jesus, I don't know why I did that."

_Crazy. _The word popped back into her head just as quickly as it had left. Only a crazy person would react so dramatically. All he did was touch her arm, for God's sake.

"It's no problem," Liam assured her, without a single look at any of the nosy onlookers. He never gave a fuck about what anybody else thought; Rae still admired that about him. "Sorry, I didn't mean ta throw you off. I just wanted to, you know, talk. I've been thinkin', uh, about our talk in the hallway… at college, and I feel-"

"Look, Liam. I appreciate you trying to make things right, but I honestly said everything I needed to say. We can just be friends, yeah?"

"Well maybe I didn't say everything _I _needed to say."

Rae hadn't been expecting that. What else was there to say? They were over; she was with Finn now. Even if she wasn't with Finn, she knew without a doubt that Liam was not the right person for her, and she thought she had made that clear. As she searched for a response, she heard someone call-

"RAEMUUUUUNDO!"

Peaking her head around Liam's arm, Rae saw Chop sprinting towards her with a half-empty bottle of vodka in his hand. Liquid sprayed in all directions as he pulled her into a drunken embrace and nuzzled his sweaty face into her neck.

"Hi Chop," she greeted him as she awkwardly patted his back and attempted to disengage her gag reflex. His breath was foul.

"Thank fook you made it- it's been a fookin' disaster wiffout ya. No Raemundo, no FUN. Finn's bein' right weird, Chloe's all smiley and annoyin', Izzy's fookin' pissed out of her mind-"

"Oh, _Izzy's _drunk, is she?"

Chop happily stayed in Rae's arms as Liam looked on with a quizzical expression. Within seconds, Archie's front door flew open, and the rest of the gang emerged.

"THERE he is. I TOLD you he'd be out here!" Izzy yelled as she staggered into the yard. As soon as she saw who Chop had latched himself onto, she squealed. "RAEEEE! YOU'RE HERE!"

Rae felt the wind escape her lungs as Izzy threw herself onto Chop's back and joined the sloppy embrace. Liam cleared his throat.

"I'll just head out then. Rae, I'll see ya at college."

"Oh! Bye!" Rae weakly yelled after him as he walked away. She felt bad about her friends interrupting what was clearly an important conversation to him, but she couldn't help the sense of relief that overcame her. If she was being honest, Chop and Izzy's arrival was a welcome disturbance- and for that, she tightened her hold on her lovely friends, pungently scented and all.

"Hiya, Rae!" Archie said friendlily as he pried Chop and Izzy off of her. He quickly kissed her cheek.

"Rae! You made it!" Chloe happily chimed in as she approached the group. "Where were ya?"

"Sorry! I walked, actually- took longer than I thought, I s'pose."

"Walked?"

Finn appeared from behind Chloe and took his place among the gang.

"Oh! Yeah, my mum couldn't drive after all; she needed to stay with Buschtat. Wasn't too far, though!"

"Omigod, Rae," Izzy slurred. "I NEED to meet Bush-tat as soon. As. Possible. I bet she's SO adorable."

"It's Boosh-tat," Rae corrected with a laugh. She knew it wouldn't be the first time she would have to sound out her new sister's name. "And yeah! She's pretty cute."

"I thought your mum needed to pick Karim up from work?" Finn persisted, now looking suspicious. _Shit. _She'd forgotten she lied about that.

"Oh right, yeah… Yeah, he took a **taxi** home, actually."

"Why didn't ya ring me?"

"Geez, Finn!" Chloe chuckled as she playfully nudged his arm. Placing herself between Chop and Izzy, she guided the group in the direction of the front door. "I think ya've interrogated her enough for now. Let's go in, yeah?"

With a sigh of relief, Rae planted a smile on her face and joined the crew as they made their way towards Archie's house. Before they reached the door though, Finn stepped in front of her.

"What's up?" Rae asked as she looked around nervously. He was a bit close for comfort, and she definitely didn't want to unveil their relationship to the college crowd tonight.

"You're serious?"

"Uh, yeah? Don't I look serious?"

"Rae-," Finn started. He looked exasperated.

"Yes?"

With a frustrated sigh, Finn backed away, unblocking her entrance to the door. "Nothing. Let's just go in then."

"Alright…," Rae muttered to the back of his head. While she had been pretty ace at playing dumb so far, she knew exactly what was bothering Finn, and she couldn't blame him. They'd been back together all of thirty-six hours, and she was already reverting to her mad ways again. Chloe seemed completely fine, so why had Rae freaked out about hurting her feelings? How much easier- and more fun- would it have been just to come over with Finn?

As the gang piled into the living room, Finn snatched a bottle of whiskey from the ground and began to drink.

"Right-o, Finley! Driiiink! Drink! Drink! Drink!..." Chop attempted to initiate a friendly chant, but the rest of the room was either too drunk or uninterested to join in. Rae watched uncomfortably as her boyfriend (shit, was he her boyfriend? They hadn't exactly discussed labels yet) chugged. Drinking didn't bother her, but she was pretty sure this was emotional drinking, and she had no questions about what- or who- had caused it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Beneath the Landslide**

**Chapter Four**

Three hours later, Izzy and Chop were both passed out on the beanbag chair in Archie's room. Chop's hand was charmingly cupping Izzy's boob, but she didn't seem to mind. Archie was nowhere to be seen, but Rae had deduced that he was off with Geoffrey from college, whom he had been making eyes at all night.

Rae, Chloe, and Finn had been playing drinking games on Archie's floor, but now they were just talking as they finished off a bag of crisps. Finn's mood had improved dramatically since he'd begun drinking; he kept prodding Rae's shoulder with his nose and cracking up at the most arbitrary moments. Though they'd had much less to drunk, Rae and Chloe were happily buzzed. Despite all of the strangeness, this night had turned out to be pretty ace.

"Oh, and apparently Ms. Allen is a total slag," Chloe mused, a glint of mischief in her eyes.

"No! She has to be sixty five," Rae argued incredulously.

"And? That hasn't stopped half the staff from bonkin' her. Anyway, I can see it. I deffo saw a red lacy thong pop out when she was bending over in Maths one day."

"Bullocks," Rae said, snorting with laughter. "How do you even know this?"

"How do you think?" Chloe countered with a knowing look. It took a few seconds before it clicked that Mr. Carrisford (the delectable but unequivocally creepy P.E. teacher) must have told Chloe during their brief and torrid affair.

"Oh, Lord. But how did he know? He never… I mean they never… did they?"

"God, no!" Chloe cried out. "I'm insulted that you would even think that."

"Well, I don't know! He's not exactly the most _moral_ of people, is he?"

"Who are you talking about?" Finn finally chimed in.

"No one!" Rae and Chloe shot back in unison. Finn immediately put his hands up in defeat and took another swig of whiskey.

"Christ, enough talk about college," Rae said diplomatically. "I've enough bloody coursework to last me-"

"No, no, no! You're right. Don't even mention it. No more college talk. Instead…," Chloe began as she clasped the bottle of vodka beside her. "Instead, we drink."

With a grimace, Rae obliged and joined Choe for another shot. The liquid no longer burned as it went down her throat, which was either a good or a bad sign, depending on how you looked at it.

"Well, I for one," Finn offered as he leaned forward, "do not envy either of ya."

"What d'ya mean? You'll have it just as bad once you start again," Chloe noted.

"Start again? I left college, remember?"

Rae, who was in the middle of reaching for another crisp, stopped midway and furrowed her brow. "Yeah, but you're going back, aren't ya?"

Snorting, Finn joked, "Uh, yeah. Hundred percent."

"I'm serious, Finn. Are you not going back to college?"

"I told you, Rae," he began slowly. "Before I left for Leeds, I was miserable there. Why would I go back?"

"Well, you have to!" Chloe pleaded. "Don't you want to go to uni?"

Finn shrugged as he continued to drink and fumble with a loose tassel on the rug. Rae and Chloe exchanged a concerned look. Why hadn't Finn said something before? Of course she assumed he'd be coming back to college. Had he really come back to Lincolnshire just for her? None of it made any sense.

As Rae searched for a way to ease the tension, the door to Archie's room burst open.

"FIGHT!" Josh Butleryelled to nobody in particular. "There's a fight in the kitchen!"

Chop sprang to attention, grabbed Izzy's hand and dragged her out of the room. Chloe rubbed her palms together and followed suit, crossing paths with Archie on the way out.

"Did I just hear someone say there was a fight?" he asked nervously, clutching his shirt to his chest. Rae nodded sympathetically.

"Oh God," he whined as he sprinted after the others down the stairs.

Neither Rae nor Finn made an attempt to join the hubbub. Finn smiled shyly at Rae before looking down at the floor again.

"How come you didn't tell me you aren't going back to college?"

"Dunno," he said with a shrug. "Just hadn't come up, I guess."

"It's kind of a big deal, though… And if we're- I mean even if we're just friends, shouldn't we tell each other things like that?"

"So we're just friends then?" Finn asked hotly as he locked gazes with Rae.

"No… Obviously not. I was just sayin'… that I would want to know even then."

"You can't be annoyed with me for not telling you about college when you're being so weird about everything else."

"You mean about how I got to Archie's?"

"No, I don't care about that. Even though you obviously lied so that you could avoid me."

Rae was quiet. She couldn't argue with him there.

"I just don't understand why you won't tell me why you chucked me."

"Like I said, it's complicated… It's not something I can just _say_. I'm asking you, for now, just to trust me."

"Like I trusted you before you told everyone at your Mum's wedding that you were in hospital?" Finn countered angrily. His drunkenness was exaggerating his emotions, and Rae wasn't sure that she liked it.

"… Well, that was my business, wasn't it? I didn't know you that well then."

"You _did_, though," Finn insisted. His anger hadn't subsided, but he was clearly struggling to conceal his hurt. "Maybe we didn't know each other for long, but you already knew me better than most people, and I didn't know a bloody thing about you. I still don't."

That was difficult to hear. How could he think that? Sure, she had kept some things from him… There were aspects of her mind and past that she wasn't sure she would ever be able to share with him. But beyond that, they had held an undeniable bond, and she refused to believe it only went one way.

"Trust me, Finn, you do know me. Maybe you don't know every single detail, but you _know _me. Loads better than other people, anyways." For emphasis, Rae placed her hand over Finn's; she took it as a good sign that he didn't immediately resist.

"And if it means anything… I never would have done what we did the other night if I didn't trust you… And I mean really trust you."

Finally, Finn cracked a small smile and took Rae's hand in his own. "You can say it, you know."

"Say what?"

"That we had sex."

"I know we had s-sex…," Rae stuttered and averted her eyes. That was the first time she had actually said it out loud. She, Rachel Earl, had sex… with Finn Nelson. Holy shitballs.

The wave of uncertainty that suddenly overcame Rae took her by surprise. She thought the other night had been brilliant, and Finn said it had been brilliant, so why did she now feel sick about the entire thing? In that moment- that blissful, untouchable moment- she had been drunk on empowerment, affection, and lust. But now, sitting alone with Finn and all of his effortless glory, Rae could literally feel her former insecurities clawing their way back into her mind. What did he think of her blobby, oversized boobs? Her paunchy stomach? The way her inner thighs rubbed against each other every time she moved? Her blotched cheeks? Dear god, why did she take her makeup off beforehand? Did she have a death-

"Rae... Hey!"

Shaken out of her anxious trance, Rae felt Finn's grip tighten around her fingers. She looked up at him and could feel both her burning cheeks and an immense lump forming in her throat.

"Rae- what just happened?" Finn asked, concern etched in every crevice of his face.

"N-nothing… Sorry, just zoned out a bit there. Must be all the drinks," she replied with an unconvincing giggle.

Finn stared at Rae intently as she tried with all of her her might to appear nonchalant. Could she really not go one day without acting absolutely crazy? She was finally back with Finn, the guy of her dreams, and she was already fucking it up. Crazy. Crazy. _Crazy._

"Rae, I want you to listen to me," Finn said in a firm but sincere voice. He released her hand so that he could cup both of her cheeks. "Just shut off whatever's going on in your head right now and listen, alright? The other night was one of the best nights- no, it was _the_ best night I've had. And I'm not just saying that to make you feel good. And it's not just because we had sex, although… I can't wait to do that again. It's because you were completely… you. I know it sounds stupid, but… you were real, and I wanted to be with you, and I knew you wanted to be with me. It's that bloody simple."

The ease with which Finn could pierce through all of the meaningless noise that surrounded Rae shocked her. She leaned her cheek into his right hand and knew that she was staring at him with unabashed adoration, but for the moment, she didn't care. He was right; with him, she could be real. This was real. And no matter how long it took to squash her limitless insecurities and worries, she had to hold onto this.

"Alright?" Finn prodded with a meaningful look.

"Alright," said Rae. And because she wasn't quite sophisticated enough to handle the intensity of the moment, she added, "… dickhead."

As he snorted, Finn dragged Rae's head towards his own and rested his forehead on hers. "Don't start that again."

"Start what?... Dickh-"

The pressure of Finn's lips against hers swiftly cut Rae off. He tasted of whiskey and crisps, but because it was Finn, the combination was mouthwatering to her. Cooing appreciatively, Rae breathed into the kiss and wrapped her arms around Finn's shoulders as he transferred his hands to her waist.

Something caught fire inside of Rae as she ran her fingers through Finn's tousled hair. The intensity between them was tangible and different from anything she'd experienced before. Two nights ago, Finn had been unbearably caring, patient, and loving- a far cry from the sloppy and bearlike Liam. Tonight, though, Finn was direct and commanding in all of his actions. As they both rose to their knees, he crushed Rae's body against his and reached beneath the back of her sweater. Too frazzled to worry about the sea of perspiration that had formed on her lower back, Rae gripped a lock of Finn's hair and pulled. Hard. She had no idea where the instinct came from, but Finn growled encouragingly.

Was this really about to happen? In Archie's bedroom nonetheless! Rae fought for control of her body's actions. Surely, the gang could return any second… Although that's what made it all the more exciting, isn't it? Finn, who appeared to be completely oblivious to anything other than Rae, smoothed his palm over Rae's butt, and that effectively shut her mind up.

Trusting her new compulsions, Rae abandoned Finn's hair and ran her hands over his shoulders and down the front of his chest. Shallowly, she appreciated the firmness that greeted her palms. As Finn expertly slipped his tongue into her mouth, Rae nearly swooned with the urgency she suddenly felt. Her body burned with desire. She wasn't entirely sure how she was able to move with such purpose, seeing as every fiber of her being seemed to be turning to jelly.

Finn's hands had somehow penetrated the nonexistent space between their bodies. Still roaming insistently beneath Rae's sweater, his hands found a happy home on her breasts. His strong fingers traced the outline of her bust, and she sank into his warm grip.

"Wait," Finn choked out as he tore his lips from Rae's. They probably both needed a breather, but Rae immediately felt cheated and went in for another kiss. Still, he persisted, his hands still latched onto her bra. "W-wait. What are you wearing?"

"Huh?" Rae managed, now annoyed by the interruption. There was no time for talking.

"Your bra…," Finn started as wonder entered his fervent gaze. "Rachel Earl, are you wearing lace?"

Rae immediately flushed as she remembered she was wearing the bra Izzy and Chloe had picked out for her before the gang's camping trip. Oh god, did it look like she was trying too hard? Was Finn turned off by the uncharacteristic choice? Instinctively, she reached for his hands and attempted to push them out of her sweater.

"No, no, no."

Finn only tightened his grip and smiled lasciviously. He brought his forehead to Rae's once again and nipped her bottom lip. Aroused but still self-conscious, Rae continued to struggle against his hands.

"It's just some stupid bra Izzy and Chloe made me buy… here, let me take it off."

"Rae, stop," Finn insisted as he took hold of her wrists. He kept his eyes planted firmly on hers as he spoke. "Just hold on."

Frustrated, Rae halted her resisting and looked back at Finn. She now noticed that there was something firmly- no pun intended- planted between their bodies and widened her eyes.

"D-did you wear this bra for me?" Finn asked, now looking slightly shy.

"…Yes?"

Wasn't that much obvious? She wouldn't withstand this scratchiness and lack of support for just anyone!

Finn inhaled hungrily and gnawed on Rae's bottom lip once again. Each time he did that, she could literally feel her blood begin to boil.

"That is… really bloody sexy."

Surprised but simultaneously pleased, Rae choked out a laugh as Finn kissed her with even more zeal. _Sexy_. He'd never called her that before, but God, she really liked it. A lot.

"Anyway," Finn continued between breathless kisses. "_I _want to be the one that takes it off."

Somehow, his hands had already found the clasp of her bra. With unnerving ease, he unlatched the fastening and Rae gasped.

"Ohhhh shit!"

An alien voice cut through Rae's titillated haze and caused her to spring backwards. Finn, too, jumped and jerked his hands from beneath Rae's sweater.

There stood the entire gang in the entrance to Archie's room. There was Archie, gritting his teeth uncomfortably. Chop and Izzy, who were both whooping and wooing with drunken enthusiasm.

And then there was Chloe, who looked absolutely, un-disguisedly gutted.


End file.
